Bridging the Digital Divide
As shelter-in-place has become the new normal, technology is even more essential to everyday life. This is especially true in senior living facilities, where strict health regulations keep residents quarantined from the outside world. Mastering new technology can be a challenge, so a group of Marksmen are stepping in to help bridge the digital divide. Since 2018, the Teaching Technology Across Generations (TTAG) club, founded by Sai Thirungari ’21 and Sam Morgan ’21, has organized student-led technology training sessions at local senior facilities.
“I got the idea while helping my grandmother use her phone at home,” said Sai. “She loves cooking, and ever since I taught her how to use YouTube on her phone, she’s been learning from all sorts of cooking tutorials and trying new things in the kitchen. Sam and I realized that the technology gap between generations often leaves the elderly unable to fully engage with the current digital world, and we decided to address the problem in our community as best as we could.”
TTAG began hosting two-hour lessons at Edgemere Senior Living Facility and eventually expanded to the Ventana by Buckner. Now in its second year, TTAG includes dozens of Upper School Marksmen volunteering their time to teach technology lessons including Google Home and smart TVs. The students prepare lessons, answer questions, and even help set up smart home equipment in the seniors’ apartments.
Since the shelter-in-place mandate went into effect, Sai and Sam have missed visiting with their “students.” Much like St. Mark’s has transitioned to online classes, TTAG has begun publishing webinars online. Sai even took some cues from his own online classes.
“In our Honors Precalculus Class, Ms. Pool records herself writing the notes on the subject for the day, and she explains the concepts while writing,” said Sai. “We’re doing a similar thing by recording our iPhone or laptop screens while narrating what we’re doing. Making videos this way is much more effective than typing up a document. Walking someone through a new concept is much better than making them read about it and then figure it out on their own.”
Launched over the Easter weekend, the TTAG YouTube channel features 10-minute video tutorials, showing how to navigate the App Store, make FaceTime calls, and more. More videos are already under production as Sai and Sam hope to grow their video library. The Edgemere has even featured some of these videos on their in-house channel.
“So often in our society, we fail to acknowledge how the wisdom and advice of older generations can help guide our lives,” said Sam. “We aren't just giving to them; we receive something in return every time we teach a session, in the form of human connection.”
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“I got the idea while helping my grandmother use her phone at home,” said Sai. “She loves cooking, and ever since I taught her how to use YouTube on her phone, she’s been learning from all sorts of cooking tutorials and trying new things in the kitchen. Sam and I realized that the technology gap between generations often leaves the elderly unable to fully engage with the current digital world, and we decided to address the problem in our community as best as we could.”
TTAG began hosting two-hour lessons at Edgemere Senior Living Facility and eventually expanded to the Ventana by Buckner. Now in its second year, TTAG includes dozens of Upper School Marksmen volunteering their time to teach technology lessons including Google Home and smart TVs. The students prepare lessons, answer questions, and even help set up smart home equipment in the seniors’ apartments.
Since the shelter-in-place mandate went into effect, Sai and Sam have missed visiting with their “students.” Much like St. Mark’s has transitioned to online classes, TTAG has begun publishing webinars online. Sai even took some cues from his own online classes.
“In our Honors Precalculus Class, Ms. Pool records herself writing the notes on the subject for the day, and she explains the concepts while writing,” said Sai. “We’re doing a similar thing by recording our iPhone or laptop screens while narrating what we’re doing. Making videos this way is much more effective than typing up a document. Walking someone through a new concept is much better than making them read about it and then figure it out on their own.”
Launched over the Easter weekend, the TTAG YouTube channel features 10-minute video tutorials, showing how to navigate the App Store, make FaceTime calls, and more. More videos are already under production as Sai and Sam hope to grow their video library. The Edgemere has even featured some of these videos on their in-house channel.
“So often in our society, we fail to acknowledge how the wisdom and advice of older generations can help guide our lives,” said Sam. “We aren't just giving to them; we receive something in return every time we teach a session, in the form of human connection.”
The TTAG Club is sponsored by Veronica Pulido-Guzman, Al G. Hill ’63 Director of College Counseling. Upper School students interested in joining should contact Sai Thirungari. Right now, the club is especially looking for students who could help edit videos.
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Before the quarantine, TTAG members visited senior living facilities for personal technology lessons.
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Members of TTAG.
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Sai Thirungari ’21 edits an instructional video for TTAG.
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St. Mark’s School of Texas
10600 Preston Road
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
About Us
St. Mark’s School of Texas is a private, nonsectarian college-preparatory boys’ day school for students in grades 1 through 12, located in Dallas, Texas. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
